Brian Kirby
@boringstorybook.com
Author/illustrator of humorous stories for kids.
https://briankirbystudio.com
SCBWI Ohio: North | #pbparty Finalist ‘24 & ‘25 | #kidlit booster
Represented by @KaitlynLeann17.bsky.social at
@Bradfordagents.bsky.social
https://briankirbystudio.com
SCBWI Ohio: North | #pbparty Finalist ‘24 & ‘25 | #kidlit booster
Represented by @KaitlynLeann17.bsky.social at
@Bradfordagents.bsky.social
Pinned
Brian Kirby
@boringstorybook.com
· Jun 4
Celebrating 5 years of #KidLitArtPostcard w/ the theme of "You, as a kid.” Don’t worry, I managed to somersault over the mailbox, although I did mangle a fingernail! I’m Brian, rep’d by @kaitlynleann17.bsky.social at @bradfordlitfest.bsky.social - you can see what I’m up to at briankirbystudio.com.
Reposted by Brian Kirby
I recently bought ZOMBIE AND BRAIN ARE FRIENDS, by Stephanie Lucianovic & Laan Cham, and it's really good: fun, cute and, best of all, UNEXPECTED.
Even my 10yo ("but-I'm-too-old-for-picture-books") critic laughed through the story & said "I actually liked that one."
Highly recommend.
Even my 10yo ("but-I'm-too-old-for-picture-books") critic laughed through the story & said "I actually liked that one."
Highly recommend.
September 16, 2026 at 6:51 PM
I recently bought ZOMBIE AND BRAIN ARE FRIENDS, by Stephanie Lucianovic & Laan Cham, and it's really good: fun, cute and, best of all, UNEXPECTED.
Even my 10yo ("but-I'm-too-old-for-picture-books") critic laughed through the story & said "I actually liked that one."
Highly recommend.
Even my 10yo ("but-I'm-too-old-for-picture-books") critic laughed through the story & said "I actually liked that one."
Highly recommend.
I like offering alternatives to “no” when getting critiques or edit suggestions, taking a note and making a change, but likely not the way it was suggested. A new direction. #kidlitchat
September 16, 2026 at 1:55 AM
I like offering alternatives to “no” when getting critiques or edit suggestions, taking a note and making a change, but likely not the way it was suggested. A new direction. #kidlitchat
Sometimes the hardest times to have to say no are when something that sparked the story in the 1st place needs to be cut or changed. Those initial creative sparks are hard to top in the process, and it feels a betrayal to set them aside. #kidlitchat
September 16, 2026 at 1:30 AM
Sometimes the hardest times to have to say no are when something that sparked the story in the 1st place needs to be cut or changed. Those initial creative sparks are hard to top in the process, and it feels a betrayal to set them aside. #kidlitchat
I’ve had opportunities to work on projects that would have been really interesting, but being realistic about time and other commitments meant I had to say no. It’s just something you have to learn to do, even when the projects looks wonderful. #kidlitchat
September 16, 2026 at 1:19 AM
I’ve had opportunities to work on projects that would have been really interesting, but being realistic about time and other commitments meant I had to say no. It’s just something you have to learn to do, even when the projects looks wonderful. #kidlitchat
Reposted by Brian Kirby
TOPIC: Let's talk about saying "no!" We get demands on our time, get notes that might pull our story away from what we intended, and even our characters can tell us to go places we don't want to. How do you know how and when to say no to... anything? #kidlitchat
September 16, 2026 at 1:00 AM
TOPIC: Let's talk about saying "no!" We get demands on our time, get notes that might pull our story away from what we intended, and even our characters can tell us to go places we don't want to. How do you know how and when to say no to... anything? #kidlitchat
Reposted by Brian Kirby
YO! Just cuz I haven't said it yet doesn't mean there's not a #kidlitchat coming up at 9PM Eastern/6 PM Pacific today here on Bluesky. Come talk with your #kidlit pals for an hour. You'll rue the day if you don't!* See ya soon! (*rueing possible but not guaranteed).
September 16, 2026 at 12:06 AM
YO! Just cuz I haven't said it yet doesn't mean there's not a #kidlitchat coming up at 9PM Eastern/6 PM Pacific today here on Bluesky. Come talk with your #kidlit pals for an hour. You'll rue the day if you don't!* See ya soon! (*rueing possible but not guaranteed).
Reposted by Brian Kirby
To non-techies who avoid trying Atmosphere apps because they're not polished: I encourage you to meet them halfway by trying apps that look appealing, give feedback. You can help make a difference, help shape app. Example: I'm encouraged by @skyreader.app 's responses to my feedback.
September 15, 2026 at 3:15 PM
To non-techies who avoid trying Atmosphere apps because they're not polished: I encourage you to meet them halfway by trying apps that look appealing, give feedback. You can help make a difference, help shape app. Example: I'm encouraged by @skyreader.app 's responses to my feedback.
Reposted by Brian Kirby
Cheers to @bookshop.org for raising over $50 million for independent bookstores across the US!
Where we use our money matters and the work Bookshop does in conjunction with local, independent bookstores is astonishing! Let's keep it up!
Where we use our money matters and the work Bookshop does in conjunction with local, independent bookstores is astonishing! Let's keep it up!
September 14, 2026 at 7:23 PM
Cheers to @bookshop.org for raising over $50 million for independent bookstores across the US!
Where we use our money matters and the work Bookshop does in conjunction with local, independent bookstores is astonishing! Let's keep it up!
Where we use our money matters and the work Bookshop does in conjunction with local, independent bookstores is astonishing! Let's keep it up!
Reposted by Brian Kirby
Reminder re: #KidLitArtPostCard hashtag: Pls only use on the first Thursday of each month. See www.ginaperry.com/postcard
September 14, 2026 at 2:54 PM
Reminder re: #KidLitArtPostCard hashtag: Pls only use on the first Thursday of each month. See www.ginaperry.com/postcard
Reposted by Brian Kirby
Please don't let AI do your scam vetting
@victoriastrauss.com Google AI told a friend that Publisher Name "has been flagged by industry watchdogs like the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Association's Writer Beware for operating under vanity press practices rather than traditional publishing models.
No such flagging exists.
No such flagging exists.
September 14, 2026 at 8:45 PM
Please don't let AI do your scam vetting
Unseasonably humid day at the Berea Arts Festival, but the arts and crafts were delightful.
September 13, 2026 at 8:42 PM
Unseasonably humid day at the Berea Arts Festival, but the arts and crafts were delightful.
Reposted by Brian Kirby
Scam alert: @authorsguild.org warning abt fake meeting links. I haven't seen this but it sounds dangerous.
Starts w/ email asking about proofing or editing services. Scammer sends link for video mtg, then says they can't join & sends new link mimicking a Zoom URL but leading to suspicious domain
Starts w/ email asking about proofing or editing services. Scammer sends link for video mtg, then says they can't join & sends new link mimicking a Zoom URL but leading to suspicious domain
September 12, 2026 at 5:16 PM
Scam alert: @authorsguild.org warning abt fake meeting links. I haven't seen this but it sounds dangerous.
Starts w/ email asking about proofing or editing services. Scammer sends link for video mtg, then says they can't join & sends new link mimicking a Zoom URL but leading to suspicious domain
Starts w/ email asking about proofing or editing services. Scammer sends link for video mtg, then says they can't join & sends new link mimicking a Zoom URL but leading to suspicious domain
Applying a paperlike screen to a drawing tablet should not be such a nerve wracking experience. One speck of dust appears, and it’s all over. It’s like diffusing a bomb. #drawing #procreate
September 12, 2026 at 4:10 AM
Applying a paperlike screen to a drawing tablet should not be such a nerve wracking experience. One speck of dust appears, and it’s all over. It’s like diffusing a bomb. #drawing #procreate
Reposted by Brian Kirby
Vincent Price's jacket. His tie! #DriveInMob
September 11, 2026 at 12:55 AM
Vincent Price's jacket. His tie! #DriveInMob
Reposted by Brian Kirby
Tsui Hark's Peking Opera Blues (dubbed) is streaming right now! See Brigitte Lin Ching-Hsia at her handsomest!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZGL...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZGL...
Peking Opera Blues | FULL MOVIE | Tsui Hark | Action Comedy
YouTube video by Shout! Studios
www.youtube.com
September 11, 2026 at 9:05 PM
Tsui Hark's Peking Opera Blues (dubbed) is streaming right now! See Brigitte Lin Ching-Hsia at her handsomest!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZGL...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZGL...
Grisly photos of children were posted to kidlit hashtags on X years ago just after it changed ownership. I am still trying to process how anyone who considers themself a decent person stayed.
Over six months, we tracked the appearance of child sexual abuse material on X. We found images from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's database, which is considered one of the most highly vetted and which many tech companies block on upload. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/11/t...
Elon Musk Has Pledged to Rid His Platform, X, of Child Sexual Abuse, but It Persists
Reviews by the Canadian Center for Child Protection and The New York Times found that explicit images of children remain on the social media site owned by Elon Musk.
www.nytimes.com
September 11, 2026 at 5:44 PM
Grisly photos of children were posted to kidlit hashtags on X years ago just after it changed ownership. I am still trying to process how anyone who considers themself a decent person stayed.
One thing I think people need to know is that spoilers are fine in a query, you just have to put it in a succinct and clever way that does not waste anyone’s time and ruin how it plays out in the story. And do NOT pose questions - i.e. “Will the grasshopper save the day…?” #kidlitchat
September 9, 2026 at 1:51 AM
One thing I think people need to know is that spoilers are fine in a query, you just have to put it in a succinct and clever way that does not waste anyone’s time and ruin how it plays out in the story. And do NOT pose questions - i.e. “Will the grasshopper save the day…?” #kidlitchat
I’ve seen query writing that missed the mark, but also query *reading* that missed the mark. Hitting upon that instance where the text aligns with a reader’s expectation can be beyond anyone’s control. Keeping it short & clear is the best way to navigate such a seemingly impossible task. #kidlitchat
September 9, 2026 at 1:43 AM
I’ve seen query writing that missed the mark, but also query *reading* that missed the mark. Hitting upon that instance where the text aligns with a reader’s expectation can be beyond anyone’s control. Keeping it short & clear is the best way to navigate such a seemingly impossible task. #kidlitchat
In judging the #pbparty entries, I (and other judges, I think) often dove into the MS or dummy 1ST and doubled back to the query afterward. It was a delight when the query and comps lined up with the impression the MS gave. It showed that the intent was crafted/deliberate. #kidlitchat
September 9, 2026 at 1:26 AM
In judging the #pbparty entries, I (and other judges, I think) often dove into the MS or dummy 1ST and doubled back to the query afterward. It was a delight when the query and comps lined up with the impression the MS gave. It showed that the intent was crafted/deliberate. #kidlitchat
Another thing I picked up from judging contests and listening to editors is to NOT get too far into the weeds in picking comp titles. Pick something they are going to know of right away. Even if it isn’t a kidlit book. #kidlitchat
September 9, 2026 at 1:18 AM
Another thing I picked up from judging contests and listening to editors is to NOT get too far into the weeds in picking comp titles. Pick something they are going to know of right away. Even if it isn’t a kidlit book. #kidlitchat
One thing I picked up from a query read aloud session at a conference is that every agent and editor had different feedback. Everyone processed the quey in their own way, with their own frame of reference. The lesson I took was to keep it simple, and true to your voice. #kidlitchat
September 9, 2026 at 1:13 AM
One thing I picked up from a query read aloud session at a conference is that every agent and editor had different feedback. Everyone processed the quey in their own way, with their own frame of reference. The lesson I took was to keep it simple, and true to your voice. #kidlitchat
Reposted by Brian Kirby
TOPIC: Where do you feel you shine when crafting a query? And where do you struggle? Is there something about the query process you'd change if you could? ("Abolish queries" is already taken.) #kidlitchat
September 9, 2026 at 1:00 AM
TOPIC: Where do you feel you shine when crafting a query? And where do you struggle? Is there something about the query process you'd change if you could? ("Abolish queries" is already taken.) #kidlitchat
Reposted by Brian Kirby
Today is the tenth anniversary of the publication of my book THE MAGIC WORDS: WRITING GREAT BOOKS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS (@wwnorton.com). To celebrate, I'm going to post ten of my favorite quotes from it below -- thoughts that still make me smile or I still say often. Thanks for indulging me!
September 7, 2026 at 12:39 AM
Today is the tenth anniversary of the publication of my book THE MAGIC WORDS: WRITING GREAT BOOKS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS (@wwnorton.com). To celebrate, I'm going to post ten of my favorite quotes from it below -- thoughts that still make me smile or I still say often. Thanks for indulging me!
Last 4 characters saved in your phone are your DnD party.
I’m feeling confident.
I’m feeling confident.
September 6, 2026 at 5:39 PM
Last 4 characters saved in your phone are your DnD party.
I’m feeling confident.
I’m feeling confident.
Reposted by Brian Kirby
Guidance from the @authorsguild.org on navigating the Anthropic settlement claims portal; they also offer guidance for authors of educational works, and why authors w/ rights reversions may be seeing publisher claims authorsguild.org/news/importa...
Important Information Regarding Anthropic Copyright Settlement Claim Notices
As part of the claims reconciliation process in the Anthropic copyright class action lawsuit, the settlement administrator sent out notices this week to all claimants summarizing each of their claims,...
authorsguild.org
September 6, 2026 at 12:04 AM
Guidance from the @authorsguild.org on navigating the Anthropic settlement claims portal; they also offer guidance for authors of educational works, and why authors w/ rights reversions may be seeing publisher claims authorsguild.org/news/importa...